Page 80 of Part of Me (The Seaside Chronicles 2)

“Wait, do we have reservations?” Dad asked.

Brody huffed. “Pete’s my cousin, we don’t need them.” He put on a smile and grabbed my hand. “Come on, Sutton. Let’s go change.”

While I threw on a dress, Brody called his cousin Pete and begged him for a favor. He agreed to let us have a table for four in thirty minutes, but only if Braxton took him and some of his college buddies out on a fishing charter, which Brody agreed to…without asking my brother, of course.

“You realize Brax is going to kill you,” I said.

“He owes me one.”

Brody slipped a long sweater coat on me as I asked, “For what?”

He pulled my back against his front and kissed me on the cheek. “Trust me, you don’t want to know.”

If it involved my brother and a favor, I probably didn’t. “Ready? How do I look?” I asked.

“Beautiful, as always.”

He took my hand, and we headed back downstairs to my folks.

“Okay, we’re ready!” I announced. Minutes later, we all headed out the door.

Mom and Dad decided to drive with us, so we took my car and Brody drove. Once we got to the restaurant, Pete himself sat us. He led us outside to the deck, which had been closed-in for the season with heat lamps stationed around, so it was nice and warm. There were only two other tables out there, so it wasn’t as loud as the main dining room.

Pete grinned after he asked us what we wanted to drink. “I’ll have those drinks brought out as well as some appetizers on the house.”

“Aw, thanks so much, Pete!” I said with a smile.

Brody shook his cousin’s hand. “Thanks, Pete.”

“Sure thing. Enjoy your dinner.”

After our drinks and appetizers were on the table, I took a deep breath and got ready to tell my parents what Brody had learned about Jack.

Before I got the chance, though, a strange feeling creeped up my spine. I shivered and reached for Brody’s hand.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

I shook my head. “Nothing. I just had a weird feeling, that’s all.”

“You mentioned you had something to tell us in the car, Sutton?” Mom asked. “Your last surprise threw me for a loop, I won’t lie. But I will say I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so happy.”

My father nodded. “I agree with your mother. Brody, you seem to make my daughter very happy, and for that, I thank you.”

Brody’s cheeks flushed, and it was adorable.

“You’re right. I’ve never been happier, and it’s all because of Brody,” I replied as I squeezed his hand in mine. “But, Brody found out some information…on Jack.”

Both of my parents sat up straighter.

“Oh?” Dad asked with a cautious expression. “What did you find out?”

I took a deep breath, glanced around to make sure no one was listening, and lowered my voice a bit. “He was already married to another woman when we got married. And he has two kids with her.”

My mother’s face went white, and my father sat back in his chair and folded his arms, his expression thunderous. “I’m going to kill that asshole,” Dad growled.

My mother and Brody both said, “Get in line.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I know it’s shocking. But the good news is, it looks like he isn’t a legal owner of Coastal Chic, so I most likely will not have to buy him out.”

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